Promises
by DarkBelieverAnge
Summary: Zack had promised to come home soon. When he goes MIA, Tifa gets upset. She closes up and starts coming out of her shell of grief, but she still keeps the ring that he gave her. Sephiroth promised that he would bring Zack back. Will he keep his promise?


_**A/N: In my mind's wandering, I came up with a sad/happy plot line. I'm going to explain the background:**_

_**SOLDIER is the Armed Forces for Midgar**_

_**Midgar is at war right now with some country (too lazy to come up with a name) **_

_**Tifa and Zack have been together for three years and she's sick of him always leaving. She's sick of not knowing when he would come home and if he would come home at all.**_

_**Sephiroth and Tifa are close- like brother and sister. Sephiroth would do anything for her, even if she knows it or not**_

_**Angeal is Zack's teacher, so that fact doesn't change**_

_**Genesis flirts with Sephiroth just to get him pissed off. But, Genesis is in a relationship with someone**_

_**Aerith and Cloud are engaged. Cloud works as a delivery boy, Aerith owns her own flower shop**_

_**Yuffie and Vincent are married and have two kids**_

_**Cid and Barrett are traveling somewhere. **_

_**That's the setting/background. Hope you like the story~ DarkBelieverAnge**_

"I'll be back around thanksgiving, I promise," Zack vows as Tifa glares at him. She shakes her head and sits down at the table and put her hands to her forehead and her elbows on the table. She sighs loudly and then looks up.

"I'm sick and tired of waiting for you," she said sadly. "I'm so tired, Zack. I can't handle this anymore. I can't handle the fact that I don't know whether or not this is going to be the last time. You've been doing this for the last five years. Even before we started dating, I worried whether or not you would come home alive."

"Tifa, I'll be back Valentines' Day, the latest," he reassured her. "I love you too much to die on the battle field. I love everything about you, sweetheart. Your kind and giving heart is the best thing about you. I wouldn't give that up for the world. No matter what, I'll come home. Keep this on you at all times." He put a ring on her right middle finger. "I'll come home to move it to your engagement finger, I promise."

Tifa started crying, but was reassured. He kissed her one last time and left. That was in July.

Thanksgiving came and went. Tifa started to worry a little…

Valentines' Day came. A knock came from the door seven at night. Tifa answered it, hoping that it was Zack. Instead, it was a SOLDIER messenger. Tifa started shaking her head violently.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to tell you this… General Fair is missing in action," he said. The man saluted her and left. Tifa crumbled to the floor and started wailing. Aerith heard her from down the street and rushed to her. She comforted her and kept her safe for the next two weeks.

Time passed slowly. Tifa was always in a daze, but somehow she got her work done. It was as if her subconscious had taken over while she grieved. She couldn't believe that he was gone. He had told her that he would be back. HE HAD PROMISED! She cried night after night, not getting any sleep because of her hurting heart.

One March night, Sephiroth appeared on her doorstep. She had finished her current bout of crying, and she had red puffy eyes and started forming frowning lines on her face. She smiled when she saw Sephiroth though. It was the first time she had smiled since hearing the news on Valentines' Day. Sephiroth pulled her close and held her until she stopped crying.

"I'll find him, I promise," he said. Tifa only nodded and stepped out of his embrace.

"I can't believe he's gone, Sephiroth," she said. "We've been going out for two years… and now…" she started crying again. Sephiroth let her cry and just stood there. Tifa stopped and just shook her head. She smiled at Sephiroth and let out a shaky breath. "I'll be alright. Soon, I'll be alright."Sephiroth nodded.

"Genesis, Angeal and I have to go out into the field for about three months," he said, not mentioning why he was going. "We'll be back for Halloween." Tifa froze, but continued to nod. "Genesis wants to let you know that he wants turkey and ham for Thanksgiving." Tifa laughed and nodded.

"I'll make sure to make stuffing, turkey, ham, coleslaw, and all the regulars," she said. "We're expecting about ten people over here for Thanksgiving, so I'll make sure to keep some plates for you." He nodded and left her.

Two months flew by. Tifa was crying less and less. She started going out on nights. She was slowly getting better at hiding her feelings about Zack. She talked about him less and less. Everyone thought that she was over him, so Yuffie started talking about hooking Tifa up with a friend of hers from work. Tifa reluctantly agreed. She knew that it was time to officially move on, but she wasn't going to let anyone know how much she was hurting.

So, Yuffie set her up with Reno. But she still didn't remove the ring. She had never told anyone what the significance of the ring was, even when asked. It was her secret connection to the one who she would never talk about.

On another continent, Sephiroth grinned in triumph. He couldn't believe his good fortune.

"She's going to be surprised," Angeal murmured lightly. Sephiroth laughed a little and nodded. Genesis grinned lightly.

"Sephiroth, why don't you get me a surprise?" he said in false suggestiveness. He waited for Sephiroth to explode. Sephiroth just raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"It'll be a while before we can go home," Sephiroth said to Angeal. Angeal nodded. Genesis rolled his eyes.

"We better be home by Halloween," he said. "Tifa won't like it if we're late." Sephiroth nodded. The next question was how he was going to get this particular package across customs without drawing notice to the three Generals going home for the holidays. Sephiroth sighed and started to plan.

Tifa blushed as Reno came into the room. He grinned warmly and went over to the sofa and lightly kissed her on the mouth.

"I love you," he said gently. She just nodded. Reno sighed. "You still aren't ready to say it are you?" Tifa shook her head. She smiled sadly, but he just shook his head. "I'll wait forever for you. Don't ever doubt that."

"_I'll be here forever. Never doubt my love."_

Tifa froze and shook her head violently. She hadn't heard that voice in two months. She couldn't believe that it was coming up today of all days. She shook her head madly to get the voice out of her head. She wasn't going to succumb to the voice again. He was gone, whether or not she wanted to accept it. She started crying and collapsed again on the couch. She hadn't even known that she had gotten up. She cried out in her dismay and just froze.

"Tifa! Tifa! What's wrong?" Reno's voice called out. Tifa ignored him and continued crying. She then heard a door open and slam. She felt someone put their hands on her knees and she cracked her eyes open. Sephiroth was kneeling down on the floor looking up at her. Tifa started crying harder. Sephiroth turned and glared at Reno.

"What did you Turk?" he growled. "If you've hurt her, I'll take it out on you." Tifa put her hand on his arm and shook her head. Sephiroth nodded, but was still looking at Reno as if he wanted to unattached all of his limbs one by one. He didn't say anything, even if his look showed all that he was thinking for once. When it came to Tifa, the three generals were very overprotective.

"How are you doing?" Sephiroth asked her gently. Reno was amazed at the tenderness that could be heard in his voice, but didn't say anything because he knew if he said anything, Sephiroth would bite his head off. Sephiroth was not one who would kid when it came to his friends. He had a few of them, but he would protect the ones that he had with his life. Tifa was lucky to call herself one of the few. She and Sephiroth had known each other since she moved into the city and opened her bar. There were tons of SOLDIER men in her bar one night, and Sephiroth happened to be one of them. She had given him his drink without even asking what he liked to drink. Sephiroth had looked up at her and she had grinned."You look like you're a scotch man." That was all that she had said. Sephiroth had nodded and she had smiled at him friendly. That moment had been six years ago. Ever since, Sephiroth had been a part of the woodwork in Tifa's house.

"I'm doing alright," she whispered. Reno had left the room and had gone in search of something to cheer her up. "I thought I was over him, that's all." Sephiroth looked down as she composed herself. "You're back early. Why's that?"

"We found what we were looking for earlier than we anticipated," Sephiroth said. He laughed silently. "The treasure was out in plain sight."

"You're plundering again?" Tifa asked curiously. Sephiroth shook his head.

"A museum hired us in order to find some priceless painting. We found the thing in the governor's house. We made a deal and we got our painting. They're going to exhibit it next year," he said bored. "Genesis wants to know when Thanksgiving dinner is going to be." Tifa laughed through her tears and shook her head.

"How about we have a welcome home dinner?" she asked. "Since it's the middle of the year and there are no major holidays, we'll do a special dinner. I'll make all the foods that are in Thanksgiving dinner. When would you guys like to come over and have dinner?"

"Friday night, would probably be the best… we're bringing a friend, is that alright?" he asked. Tifa nodded without getting too much into it. She looked up and smiled as Reno came into the living room. Sephiroth would see that that would change. It would change very soon. If Sephiroth had anything to do with it, he would see that it changed immediately.

_Friday_

Tifa hummed as she prepared all the food. Reno was watching her and was smiling tenderly.

"Tifa, darling! I am home!" Genesis shouted from the front door way. Tifa started chuckling. Reno looked at her intently.

"Why does he have a key and I don't?" he demanded. Tifa looked at him and frowned.

"Genesis has a key because he wanted one. I'm not giving you a key for a very long while. I may care about you, but this is my place, not yours. I haven't demanded a key from you, so you don't demand one from me," she said. "Besides, Sephiroth has a key. So does Angeal. They're allowed in here because they room upstairs sometimes." Reno glared at Genesis as he came into the room. Genesis came over and pecked Tifa on the cheek.

"Sephiroth's been so mean," he complained. "All he does is talk to our friend on his phone. All he's been doing is talking and talking and talking. It's annoying. I can't wait to get rid of him, Tifa… the man's trying to make me jealous, I swear."

"You really are dramatic, sometimes," Angeal announced from the doorway. Tifa smiled at him and he bowed his head in her direction. He took out the dishes to set up the table. He looked at Reno intently.

"Why don't you help me, Young Turk?" he asked gently. Reno scowled and went to join him. He couldn't refuse Angeal because of their rank difference. Even if they were in different sections, Angeal outranked him by a long shot. Angeal never pulled rank, but he had an air about him that he was a commander. He was a natural leader, even if he was the one who always stood in the back.

Genesis was continuing to rattle on and on about Sephiroth and his friend. Sephiroth wasn't here yet because he and his friend were meeting up at some restaurant, which Genesis found very offensive. If they were going to eat at Tifa's, wasn't it easier just to come to Tifa's house? Tifa would only nod in agreement because that was the only way to handle Genesis and his rants. As she was preparing the turkey, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Genesis said happily. He skipped to the door and opened it. He yelled out to Tifa. "Sephiroth and his friend are here. You might want to come out and meet them!" It is important to know that the kitchen had a wall between itself and the door. A person had to walk out of the kitchen and walk around a corner in order to see the backdoor. It was the backdoor because the front door was for the bar. They didn't use the front door unless the business was open.

Tifa sighed and put the turkey in the oven. She cleaned her hands and went out. She saw Sephiroth first and then he moved. Tifa paled and started to cry.

The guy rushed to her and held her close. He said soothing words that she didn't hear, but knew what he was saying. As soon as everything was coherent, she looked up into blue eyes that she thought she would never see again.

"Zack," she said. She reached up and touched his face. She cried even more. Zack noticed that she still had her ring on. He smiled tenderly and took it off. He put it on her engagement finger and kissed her. She cried and cried.

"I thought you were dead," she managed to say. He smiled and held her close.

"I told you I would be back by Thanksgiving," he said. She punched him in the chest and he grunted. "I'm sorry I'm late then. I love you too."

"I never stopped hoping that you would come back," she admitted. "I never stopped loving you."

Zack smiled and started kissing her again.

_**A/N: Well, what do you think? I liked it. It came to me randomly one day and I had to write it down.**_

_**Well, I hope you enjoyed this piece, reviews are always welcome and encouraged because they make my day =)**_

_**Till Next Time,**_

_**DarkBelieverAnge **_


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